Transcript
CHARLES MELINGA: They were promising the mining, but then those landowners they did not realise that those investors were using their consent to convince the commissioner for mines to give this licence for mining. Over the past months we have worked together to have them withdraw their consent. So far, I understand we have sent three sets of letters to the provincial government for them to withdraw, or confirming their withdrawal, of withdrawing their consent.
JAMIE TAHANA: OK so what have they said regarding your concerns?
CM: There was, of all those letters that we have submitted there is no confirmation or reply from them.
JT: Oh OK, so there's been no reply, no response whatsoever.
CM: Nothing. Nothing as such. At the moment most landowners live in suspense as to what will happen next.
JT: So you have no idea what's happening next or when it might happen?
CM: The fear at the moment for our people is now, without knowing what will happen, because the government has already given the licence and the provincial government has already given the business licence and with a legal case pending and it's not yet there. We have a fear that maybe any moment prospecting might happen.
JT: OK so what's this legal case that's currently pending?
CM: Those are underway within this committee. But we still need confirmation, as I have said, from our legal experts in Honiara.
JT: On what basis do you hope to take this to the court? What exactly are you challenging here?
CM: We are challenging the process. The process the national government permeates to be practice concerning mining. They bypass all the legal proceedings.
JT: OK so the laws have been ignored in giving the licences for prospecting?
CM: Yup. Beginning from the start.
JT: And so what support do you have for this to be able to challenge?
CM: Yeah we are having support from other groups?
JT: What groups?
CM: Landowner groups and especially those natives who do not want their...in actual fact all the general population and Oceanwatch Solomon Islands (a NGO) is behind it as well. As far as mining is concerned at the moment the population is in suspense as to what will happen next. So we call on the provincial government and other related authorities to be clear on what is going to happen.
